


Continuum

by Neonyayo



Category: Lovecraft Country (TV)
Genre: Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Post-Canon, from Ji-Ah's pov
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:20:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27266347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neonyayo/pseuds/Neonyayo
Summary: In the gang's attempt to wake Ruby from her comatose stage, Ji-Ah volunteered to find Christina in different timelines. In the multiverse, Ji-Ah reflected on the possibilities of what they all could have been.Or: an exploration of Ruby and Christina in alternate universes
Relationships: Ruby Baptiste/Christina Braithwhite
Comments: 23
Kudos: 106





	Continuum

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a one-shot of 10k words or so but I couldn't find the time to write :( so I decided to chop it up and here it is!! the rest will follow soon.

They all surrounded Ruby like she was a spectacle, and Ji-Ah had led them there. In her vision, as her tail went clean through Christina, she saw Ruby in this very basement, felt Ruby’s hot lips on her lips, felt the soft, dark skin of Ruby’s under the fingertips that weren’t really hers. She felt for Ruby although she’d never met her, felt what Christina had felt for her, like what she herself had felt briefly for Young-Ja. And for Atticus, years and years ago. She could cry for Ruby, too, if Leti weren’t doing all the crying already. 

Ruby wasn’t dead, this Ji-Ah knew for sure. She’d seen so many dead soldiers and fellow countrymen to know death. Hell, she’d killed enough to know death like the back of her hand. Ruby was simply  _ sleeping _ , except she had been sleeping for almost six months now. Leti spent all the time she could spare in the basement beside Ruby’s motionless body, trying to retrace the steps and break whatever spell Christina had put her under. Out of guilt, Ji-Ah concluded from what Montrose told her about the sisters’ rocky relationship although she wouldn’t say it out loud. And they all took turns accompanying Leti in the basement. It was clear they still mistrusted Christina, whatever state that she was in right now if she even existed at all -ghost, spirit, memories. Ji-Ah felt none of that, probably because a part of Christina was in her now and the basement felt like home, but she went with Leti anyways, out of gratitude on her part.

Ji-Ah jumped when Leti swept all Christina’s notes to the floor in frustration. With her head in her hands, Leti’s shoulders shook, weeping. It’d been six months yet Ji-Ah still didn’t know how to act around Leti. She’d grown to love her like family, sure, but between Tic’s death, their past relationship, and Leti’s pregnancy, Ji-Ah wasn’t sure if she had time to think about her place in all of their lives at all, wouldn’t blame her either, losing one’s sister and lover in such a close period of time served as a justification. Still, Ji-Ah dreaded stepping over the boundaries they didn’t set. So she just let Leti talk, squeezing her shoulder from time to time.

“I know this is gonna sound insane,” Leti started, wiping her nose with her hands. She was whispering, conspiring. “But what if we bring Christina here to fix Ruby, then we send her back.”

Ji-Ah didn’t know what to say -no, didn’t know how to say nicely that that was the most stupid idea she’d ever heard. But clearly, Leti was grieving and desperate so Ji-Ah could only look at her, hoping her kind eyes could offer some relief. “I don’t know how that will work, Leti.”

“No, but listen,” Leti stood up all of a sudden, pacing about the room. Ji-Ah hadn’t seen her this animated since before this whole incident with Ruby. “We got The Book of Names from the past, right? We went back to the past and brought it back here. Hippolyta can open the portal again and say, I go back to whatever year and get that witch to help me.”

Ji-Ah could only shake her head. “That doesn’t make any sense. That’s making a deal with the devil, right? She wouldn’t help you. Not unless she gets something in return. What are we willing to give her?”

Leti stopped in her track, biting her lower lip and her brows furrowed again. Ji-Ah hated to put out whatever fire of hope Leti had in her but it was dumb. It was useless. Sometimes she thought Ruby was never going to come back, and she knew Leti was thinking the same thing but she couldn’t possibly say it. Couldn’t possibly make it any more plausible than it was already getting with every passing second.

“Maybe she would help,” Leti whispered, only louder than a breath. Ji-Ah wouldn’t have heard her if the basement weren’t so quiet. “Maybe she would help if it was Ruby.”

But Leti sounded defeated, like she didn’t even believe her own words. Ji-Ah didn’t answer, just started gathering Christina’s notes scattered on the cement floor. Ruby didn’t look dead, her face serene and her breaths even. It was like she could just wake up with a stretch and go on about her day, leaving everyone dumbfounded. Maybe that was why it was so difficult for Leti to give up on her.

“She did love her, right?” Leti asked, almost pleading for a yes, as if it could help with anything.

Ji-Ah was quiet for a while, trying to let herself feel again what she felt the night Christina died. Hadn’t Ruby filled her vision then? The heat from her skin, the softness of her lips, her voice, her passion, her stubbornness? Hadn’t that been all she could think about the last moment?

“Yes,” Ji-Ah allowed a soft smile to form on her lips, “I believe she did.”

* * *

When Leti brought her plan up at dinner, Montrose slammed his fist on the table so hard Ji-Ah’s glass fell. Leti put her hand on her pregnant stomach protectively, instinctively.  _ You must be losing your goddamn mind _ , he yelled so loud Ji-Ah squeezed her eyes shut, his finger pointed at Leti shaking with rage.  _ There’s no way in hell I’m breathing the same as that white bitch again _ , he told her,  _ and I’m not letting you risk my grandson’s life for it. _

__ But Leti could be just as loud, just as angry, and she was at the moment. Hippolyta sent distressed and alarmed Dee to her room, although Ji-Ah doubted that helped. They were so loud a single wall couldn’t lock up their angry words.  _ You’re getting a second chance at being a father. A better one. You have no rights to deny me of my second chance at being a better sister. _ It wasn’t the first thing Leti shouted back -oh, they fought for what seemed like hours, at times looked like they would physically hurt each other- but it was what got Montrose to quiet down, to think, possibly to understand. Ji-Ah realized then that these people were all broken people trying desperately to atone. Ji-Ah understood perfectly well, monsters trying to be better.

“I can go,” Ji-Ah said, not letting herself overthink or else she would never offer to help. She could only notice how out of place her words were after she’d spoken them. All pairs of eyes were on her, including Hippolyta’s, who was as much an outsider as she was during this whole vicious fight. “I mean, across the portal. I can go. If Hippolyta will allow me, that is.”

“No, Ji-Ah, I-” Leti started but Ji-Ah interrupted her.

“No, really, everyone. It’s just talking to Christina, right?” Ji-Ah gave them all a reassuring smile. “I think I can do that. After all, I get her the most. Besides, I don’t have anything to lose. I don’t have any family and I don’t have a baby growing inside of me.”

“What do you mean you  _ get  _ her?” Montrose asked, not exactly friendly but Ji-Ah was used to his hostility around anything that had to do with Christina, his defensive stance at the mere mention of the dead woman’s name. Anyhow, She didn’t get the chance to answer him.

“Dear, you  _ are  _ family.” Hippolyta corrected, and Ji-Ah couldn’t help but feel the sting of tears behind her eyes at that. But Hippolyta’s tone quickly changed to that of seriousness, almost as immediately. “Still, that’s impossible. You’ll be altering the past and who knows what will come out of that,” Hippolyta said so matter-of-factly it wiped the smile off of Ji-Ah’s face. Leti sat down on the wooden chair, massaging her temples. 

“I just can’t let go of her,” Leti rasped, it sounded like a confession somehow. Like she was showing her vulnerability to everyone. “Tic’s gone for good, and I’ll be over him, I know. But with Ruby lying like that in the basement? How can I let go when she’s still alive? When I know damn well I’m the very reason she’s like that?”

“Now, I’m not saying there isn’t another way,” Hippolyta said, as if consoling a child. “We can always go with alternate Earths. I doubt there will be many Earths that she will be willing to help us. And no, I’m not powerful enough to let you inspect every handful of hay for the needle but I can at least open the portal a few times and we can hope for the best.”

“It almost killed you when you opened the portal to Tulsa!” Montrose interjected, threw his hands up.

“Only because I held it open for too long,” Hippolyta told him, before shifting her eyes towards Ji-Ah. Her voice suddenly became soft, almost the voice she used with Dee. “But honey, if you’re gonna go, you have to realize that you cannot come back anytime you want. We’ll have to leave you there. Alone. Until I bring you back.”

Ji-Ah nodded, her heart tightening at the warmth of Hippolyta’s motherly hands around hers. “I understand.”

Earth Six-O-Eight, that was the first Earth Ji-Ah went to -more accurately, that Hippolyta randomly sent her to- was a complete failure. Tic was dead, just like he was from where she was from. Worse because all of them were gone but Christina wasn’t. And she was immortal, too, from what Ji-Ah could gather. Ji-Ah could barely recognize her from the way she carried herself. Always a smirk on her face, it almost seemed like. A goddess among mortals, the devil, one and the same thing.

“You’re different, aren’t you?” Christina asked but not really. She already knew the answer although she’d not known of Ji-Ah. She seemed to know so much on this Earth, eerily so, dangerously so. “I can feel it. But you’re not a witch. You’re not from here, either.”

“No,” Ji-Ah answered truthfully, guessing there was no other wise choice but civility in the presence of an invincible, immortal sorceress. And Christina was nice enough, letting Ji-Ah join her lunch, share the table. She signaled the waiter to bring her another glass of wine, which was telling enough to Ji-Ah Christina had interrogation in mind. “I’m Korean.”

Christina smiled. The haughtiest smile Ji-Ah had ever received. “That I can see,” She drawled. “But I’m more interested in the fact that you’re neither human nor of this reality. Hiram’s orrery, I’m guessing?”

Ji-Ah gulped, weighing her next move. She wished Hippolyta was here to offer wise words, or maybe Leti. She always felt like Leti was her lucky charm. Maybe that was just Tic’s sentiments rubbing off on her. “I’m here because I need your help. She needs your help.”

Christina leaned back on her chair, her eyebrow shot up. “She?”

“Ruby.”

Ji-Ah waited to see her expression, to see something given up by the faltering of her facade. But Christina offered nothing except that same smug air surrounding her. “What about her? Did she send you here?”

“Do you not know who she is?” Ji-Ah asked, genuinely surprised. She wondered how different it all had played out here. “How much do you kn-” But with a flick of Christina’s wrist, Ji-Ah’s breath stuck in her throat, her words like a cork. She tried to cough but even her coughs were silent. The lack of air started to close in on Ji-Ah like a coffin and she started grasping, clawing at her beating neck.

“I asked first,” Christina told her flatly, sipping the white wine in her hand, looking as nonchalant as the rest of the crowd there. That was when Ji-Ah realized Christina was the very devil Montrose dreaded. The ice in her eyes, the way she could kill Ji-Ah with a flick of her small wrist, just as easily as she had shut her up. “The next time you draw air, I expect answers.”

And Ji-Ah sucked in the cold air, so hard it hurt her lungs. When her breaths came out, they sounded like answers alright.

“They killed me, huh?” Christina chuckled, something not quite right about that sound. “Atticus, I’m not surprised at all. He’d tried to kill me before. But tell me, how did I fail? Where did I slip and let dear cousin win?”

“You succeeded actually,” Ji-Ah corrected her. She went over the pieces of Christina in her head enough times to know, cried over Christina’s memories and pain enough times, too. Still, she realized this was the first time anyone was willing to listen. “You know, I used to be at sea for two weeks when I was a kid, and I got used to the rocking of the waves that when I stood on land, I got dizzy. I think that was what happened to you. You were so used to chasing your head spun when you stopped. So no, you didn’t fail. But you gave up the minute you won and realized you put yourself on a boat again. All by yourself.”

Christina scoffed. “Doesn’t sound like me.” 

Ji-Ah let her thoughts linger on the Christina in front of her. Feral, that was the word she’d use to describe her, a lost cause. But then it hit her.

“You’ve never met Ruby.”

It was not a question this time.

Christina threw her hands up, exasperated. It was quite clear she wasn’t used to being the one without all the answers. “Does it matter?”

Ji-Ah could only laugh at that. “I have a tenth of you in me,” she smiled, although not unkindly. “And I can tell she is  _ all  _ that matters.”

* * *

“Ruby Baptiste,” Christina forced herself into Ji-Ah’s hotel room, unwelcome but Christina had always been too entitled to ever need a welcome anyway. She positioned herself on the only armchair in the corner of the room, crossing her legs, but not before thrusting a crumpled photograph to Ji-Ah’s chest, staring at her inquisitively, almost as if challenging her for a confirmation. 

She was right. It was Ruby with a guitar in her hands, albeit a photograph of a photograph, flashing her white teeth. It was such a strange sight to Ji-Ah, only realizing now that she had never seen Ruby smile. Well, a smile had always been a rare sight to those around her. She guessed it was going to be strange every time, seeing someone smile in such a careless way like this. “How did you get it?”

Christina’s shrug seemed to say  _ you shouldn’t have been surprised,  _ but she only got up and strutted towards Ji-Ah, so close that her fragrance overtook the air around them. “Letitia Lewis’s half-sister. Estranged. When you told me yesterday that she mattered, I spent the night thinking about her role in all of this. I thought she might come to kill me, for killing her sister and her unborn nephew but she didn’t care, didn’t come to her or her boyfriend’s funeral. A man with a gun in his coat took this photo of her, and I can send him there again tonight to prevent whatever fire this  _ Ruby  _ can set. And since you’re so all-knowing, Kumiho,” She lowered her voice, but it left Ji-Ah’s ears ringing anyway. No wonder they’ve had to kill her, she thought. “Tell me, will she set the fire?”

They spent the entire afternoon talking in Ji-Ah’s room, but not in the pleasant, snuggly way Ji-Ah had imagined schoolgirls did during their sleepovers. Christina was in one corner of the room, Ji-Ah the other, because Christina was as much of a monster as Ji-Ah was. Besides, this was hardly a conversation. A friendlier-than-most interrogation, Ji-Ah would say, where she did all the answering and Christina the asking, her blue eyes wide almost like with child-like curiosity.

_ I loved her?  _ Christina asked, so incredulously that Ji-Ah almost expected a scoff to follow. But nothing came after that question except the hanging silence.

_Nobody knows this_ , Ji-Ah told her, _or care to know, but you really did give up less than a minute after you’d sacrificed Atticus. You hurted Ruby. It was the one thing you vowed to yourself you’d never do, but you did anyway. When Ruby didn’t choose you, you just… lost it. Everything you did after that was terrible, even your conscience said so but you were on a warpath. You killed Leti and for a moment you wanted her to stay dead, but you knew Ruby would look at you with contempt forever and that was not how you wanted to spend your_ _eternity._ Ji-Ah paused, bit the inside of her cheeks. _I think you were heartbroken, so you just let them win. Let it all end._

Christina was quiet. For a while, too, that Ji-Ah thought her soul had left her body. But then Christina cleared her throat, it looked like she wanted to ask something else, but all she could muster was to croak  _ that doesn’t sound like me _ out.

And Ji-Ah could only smile at that, at Christina’s weak whimper of denial.  _ Well, you’ve never met Ruby, _ she said.


End file.
